Voice with possible action. (kinda forward-dated a little maybe?) username: ilikehorses

[shoplifter]

[Well, look. Whenever she gets invited to Alphonse's future birthday, she's got a lot to think about.

She must consider this: there will be cake, that is a certainty. Cake sitting on a table, like in Transigen... in front of a deceptive cartoon painting on the wall; ways to trick outsiders into thinking the place is kind to its patients... She's learned at that facility that cake is a staple of birthdays, or rather, from the nurses. Birthdays involve singing, and they all learned the words for Delilah. All for Delilah. But they weren't allowed to have those parties, not after the first and last time; she never bothered asking about them again, because... she knew there would be nothing beyond the question. It wasn't difficult to tell what blowing out the candles and leading them away meant.

She had whispered happy birthday to Delilah on the way out, though.

Really, she's not sure just how normal those birthday choices even were. Outside of the walls of Transigen, what is a birthday like? Is there still cake? Still the concept of presents, or singing? Did the nurses want to try and do something nice but ultimately fantasy? Like Logan had said, ice-cream for bedwetters. She's curious to learn, though. So again, she uses the network for her own gain: this time, birthday information, instead of school.

(I'm sensing a pattern.)

Her voice is casual, but interested. She's not about to ruin the surprise, but she does need to know what she's getting herself into, here.]

What sort of presents are you supposed to give people, for their birthday?

... Toys, no?

[What the hell do adults like to get, for presents? A long pause, and she's not terribly sure of herself.]

Are there fireworks at birthday parties, too?

[Another thoughtful pause, yet again.]

... How do you tell what day you were born? Is it on a special paper?

[Okay, okay, last question there. She bites back more questions. Easy, Laura, easy.]


[ ADDITIONAL ACTION.]

[If you would like to find her out and about, she is wandering the shops for things that might be nice to give to the birthday boy, especially the department stores. Laura also puts on a cool hat and goes to leave without paying for it, of course, so she can be found getting approached by a very unhappy security guard there who is calling out something about a shoplifter. Look ma, it's my username!

... What? Just because she's getting better at being in the real world doesn't mean she's learned the virtue of paying for things.

Her dad stole cigars. She totally saw him do it. Cigars and a phone charger. 

Or maybe you'll find her violently shaking one of those coin-eating candy machines. Stupid thieving machine - she tried to be nice about this and use real money, and see where it got her? Never fear, she pops claws from her knuckles, long and adamantium-silver, and she slices the top of the candy machine clean off, so she can reach inside and take handfuls for her pocket. Man, living the dream over here. Don't bother asking where Linda is, we all know there's a repeating pattern of juking her.]

Comments

action; this poor security guard

[nostalgiabomb]

[ So here's the thing about Peter's childhood: it was wholly unconventional.

A lot of the time – that is, when he wasn't crawling through vents or squeezing through grates – he was used as a distraction, taking pratfalls in front of security or cops and crying huge crocodile tears while wailing about being lost. Once the job was done, one of the other Ravagers would rush over, spout out some bullshit about being some relative who was worried sick, and they'd dash off to count out their earnings.

Long story short: Peter's made a habit of lying to cops and security guards.

Today, Peter is sort of wandering the shops when he spots the commotion. He recognizes the girl who's currently getting one hell of an earful from the security guard. Peter catches the word "shoplifting," and a second or two later, he comes to a quick decision. ]

Young lady, where have you been?

[ This, half-shouted, as he strides over with purpose and authority. He puts himself between the guard and Laura, turning his back on the guard and kneeling in front of her. ]

I've been looking everywhere for you. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?

[ And as he's saying it, he gives her a meaningful sort of look – one that says, "Follow my lead." ]

action;

[shoplifter]

[Laura stares at him for a long moment. And then another long moment. And then another. For a moment, it almost seems like she's not going to play along, and then Peter will be the one looking like a total loser. But really, she's trying to understand what he's trying to do - what he has to gain from it. Surely, it's not just out of the goodness of his heart, right?

With no understanding of how family speaks to each other, she hardly even comprehends he's playing the role of a relative.]

... Everywhere?

[... But where you really looking for her, or is this part of the trick.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ For a long while, Peter really does think Laura won't get it, or that she'll leave him in a lurch, and while he's totally used to looking like a loser, he'd prefer not to, thanks very much. But in the end, she seems more confused than anything, and he decides he can work with that. ]

Yeah. [ Clipped, with a note of worry ringing through his voice. ] Everywhere.

[ Peter gestures at her to stay put before he turns toward the security guard. The security guard opens his mouth to speak, but Peter is quick to interrupt him. ]

Sir, thank you so much for finding my niece. My sister would've killed me—

[ It's a familiar routine, even if Peter hasn't played it from this side before. He talks over the security guard every time the man opens his mouth, thanks him profusely, and dumps an unnecessary life story on him – about a difficult to please older sister, about his niece's penchant for wandering off, which is only compounded by Peter's terrible habit of losing track of everything.

("I'd lose my own head if it wasn't attached to my body—")

By the time Peter's wrapping up, the security guard is the one pulling away, desperate to avoid Peter spinning another yarn. When they reach that point, Peter offers him another heartfelt thanks before turning back to Laura, ushering her away.

After a few paces put them out of earshot, Peter murmurs, ]

Don't look back.

[ and he carefully tears the paper price tag from her stolen prize and tucks it into his pocket. ]

Nice hat, by the way.

[shoplifter]

[She is so confused, at first, but then it all comes together; it's like Logan and Charles, her 'family'. Only to her it was real, the realest family she's ever had and ever will have, but she knew that it had been more of a play to her father at the time. An act. At the end, he loved her, though... Too little, she had too little time with him. She watches Peter solemnly (niece, yes, Jake had said something about that before), until he turns to her and starts leading her away.

She doesn't look back, but she adds to the authenticity and reaches to grab his hand. That's what family does, right? Families lead each other. Her heart thumps painfully, and she swallows a lump. It's still all so fresh, and she'd lost so much at once -- Gabriela, Charles, her father -- she's not sure how mourning works.

She reaches up with the other hand and touches the hat.]

... They're pretty colors.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He almost ruins the act by jumping when her hand slips into his, but he catches himself in time. His hold on her hand is loose, definitely uncertain (and a little uncomfortable, at least to him), but he doesn't let go. ]

Did you mean to steal it, or did you just forget to pay for it?

[ Because if it's the latter – honest mistake.

If it's the former – he's got a few pointers. ]

[shoplifter]

[She's not particularly surprised by his reaction, or by the loose grip. Logan didn't like when he touched her, either, not until the end. Maybe it's the wrong thing to do, but moments where Gabriela held her hand made her feel like a good child, one from a picture book. Right now she's Peter Quill Star-Lord's niece, just for a short walk, and there's something about it that gives her a little hope.

After careful consideration:]

I didn't have enough money.

[She says it, watching the world ahead of them, though her hand still lingers at the bridge of the cap. She's slowly starting to learn the importance of money, and how big a spotlight falls on you when you don't have it like the other people. She can get money from Linda, sure, but she also can't stand being looked after by Linda, as nice as she can be.]

But I've never used it before, anyway.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ That actually earns a startled glance. Maybe it's just a matter of upbringing, because the Ravagers loved money, even if they could hardly count it. But she's young by his reckoning, and maybe she was just pretty sheltered? The sort of family that didn't trust her with handling cash.

Then again, Laura didn't even know what chocolate milk was, which is, quite frankly, the first lesson in Kid 101, so a lot of signs are pointing to an unconventional upbringing.

He frowns, pensive, before filing that frankly worrying thought away for later. ]

You shouldn't steal.

[ says Peter Quill, who spent at least two decades of his life stealing. Even to him the statement sounds lame, like some schmaltzy lesson in an after school special, and he's quick to amend, ]

Or if you do, you need to be sneakier about it.

[shoplifter]

[She looks up at him from under the hood of the hat, looking oh-so-genuine in her innocent curiosity.]

How would you steal it?

[......... SO INNOCENT.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ ... Oof. He almost cringes, but he knows he totally walked himself right into that one. Salvage this, Quill. ]

I wouldn't. Steal it, I mean.

[ Not without good reason, anyway, like if someone paid him to do it. He's trying to turn over a new leaf, here. ]

Because, you know. Stealing is a crime. Super illegal. You can get into a lot of trouble for it, so you shouldn't do it.

[ "And the award for Most Convincing Lecture goes to..." ]

[shoplifter]

[She looks. So unfazed.]

But you helped me steal it.

[Doesn't that make you an accomplice, Peter Quill the Starlord.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ ... admittedly, she’s got him there. ]

I figure everyone gets one freebie, just to get it out of their system.

So! That was your one. And I hope it was worth it.

[shoplifter]

... Just one -- 'freebie'.

[She repeats it, testing the word. Sounds fake, but okay.]

You've gotten stealing out of your system?

[nostalgiabomb]

Yeah. Of course.

[ Mostly. He’s a little less likely to pick pockets, these days, even if his fingers occasionally itch for it. Old habits die hard, he guesses.

They’re a decent enough distance from the security guard, by now, and Peter risks a quick glance over his shoulder. The guard has disappeared back into the crowd, apparently having forgotten why he had chased after Laura, and Peter lets out a quick breath. ]

Looks like we lost him.

[shoplifter]

[Despite Peter's commentary, Laura hasn't thought to release his hand yet.

Handholding is nice, you know.]

What do you do now? To pay for things.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He frowns down at their joined hands for a second, uncertain, before he just rolls with it. It's probably a good idea to keep up the ruse, just in case anyone's still watching them. He keeps walking, too; there's probably a burger place nearby, if he remembers right. They should be able to dart in there without too much trouble. ]

I'm with the Perimeter Guard. I help map out the ruins.

Before we came here, I was working with a team. [ And this comes out with a touch of fondness, maybe something approaching pride. ] We helped people.

[ And also occasionally acted as exterminators, but still. ]

[shoplifter]

[Perimeter Guard. They're as close to X-Men as one can get without actually being X-Men, huh? The thought pleases her. Better that than learning something awful, like him being a scientist, or a doctor, or something potentially dangerous. But more than that, he was on a team before, too, who did good things.]

Which ones are here? From your team.

[She can totally use them to steal hats later too.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He actually forgot he had already mentioned his team to her already, because Peter is the type to spout of a bajillion words a day. He has difficulty keeping track of what he's said over the course of twenty-four hours, much less over the course of several weeks. Peter sort of sucks that way. ]

Well, we've got Mantis. She's with the Orientation Team. She's really sweet. Kinda shy and awkward, but— she's cool. She can do this thing where she can read your emotions.

[ Peter still doesn't know her very well, if he's honest, but the two of them are friends, at least, as opposed to the relative strangers they were when they first arrived. ]

And we've got Gamora. She's a captain on Search and Rescue. [ and the fact that she outranks him may or may not have been a thing over which Peter was envious, but he's largely gotten over it, by now. ] She's, like, super smart and funny, and she's such a badass. Like, back home, there was this time I saw her throw a knife clear across the room and nail a guy in the eye.

[ Is this an appropriate story to tell a child? Probably not, but still, he ends it with, ]

It was awesome.

[shoplifter]

[This is very wonderful, and clearly she is more than impressed by the story.]

I know Gamora. She's very nice -- and I like how green she is.

[Look, sometimes people are just cool on a very basic level. Being green is one of them.]

You must like her a lot, sí?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He laughs, tipping his head to one side as if in concession. ]

It's not easy being green.

[ Peter learned that one from Sesame Street. ]

And... yeah. She's fantastic.

[ with the sort of honesty that he rarely musters with anyone else. He seems to realize just how much of his hand he's tipped, whether Laura realizes it or not, and he clears his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Luckily, they come across the burger joint Peter remembered being here, and thankful for the distraction, he gestures at it with his thumb. ]

You want a milkshake? My treat.

[shoplifter]

[It's definitely not easy being green, okay, people are judgemental!!

She looks at him skeptically. It's not clear why at first, and he may get an impression that she's about to call him out on his obvious fondness for Gamora, but--]

What are milkshakes?

[nostalgiabomb]

[ That look and that weighty silence definitely makes him think she's going to ask more about Gamora, which probably wouldn't be the most awful thing to happen to him, but he's a little confused on the topic, himself. (That is, he's not confused on it in the slightest, because even he knows that he's crazy about her; mostly, he doesn't know how to really express any of that in words. Or at least, not in any sequence of words understandable to any sapient species.)

He lets out a sigh of relief when she asks a much easier question to answer. ]

Do you know what ice cream is?

[ which is answering a question with a question, but at least it's relevant. ]

[shoplifter]

It's cold and sweet, and it comes on a cone.

[Someone had gotten it for her, before; this bodes well, she's thinking.

... Check marking next to Peter's name for ice cream.]

[nostalgiabomb]

Or a cup, or a bowl. But yeah, you've got it.

A milkshake is like ice cream in drink form. Comes in different flavors, usually with whipped cream and a near mandatory cherry on top.

So? Want one?

[shoplifter]

[She looks a bit impish at that; what, take advantage of an adult's hospitality? Her? Never.

She gives a little nod, adjusting her cap.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He catches that look, and he narrows his eyes down at her. Laura, it seems, is far more savvy than Peter gives her credit for, and of course he knows a con job when he sees one.

But, eh. He could go for a milkshake right now, anyway. (He can always go for a milkshake.)

The restaurant is some sort of retro throwback, though a throwback to what, Peter isn't sure. He's used to '50s diners, with aggressively turquoise decor and checkerboard tiling. This place has none of that, but it does have good food. He slips into an empty booth nearby, plucking up a menu and pointing out the list of milkshakes. ]

So you've got chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, or cookies and cream. Personally? I go for chocolate, but you're welcome to pick your own poison.